By Ashemiriogwa Emmanuel
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced it will be signing a sponsorship deal with a popular gaming company, Premier Lotto Limited, fondly called Baba Ijebu, valued at N400 million.
The President of the federation, Mr Amaju Pinnick, who disclosed this, said the contract will run for three years with an option of renewal.
According to him, the agreement will further bump the NFF up to 90-92 per cent of self-funding and the deal will be “strictly player-based: whereby players will have comprehensive insurance once they don the Nigerian jersey.”
“A lot of positives are coming to the Nigerian Football Federation and we are ready to get it. We are going for the signing and we are very grateful to the chairman of Premier Lotto, Mr Kensington Adebutu, who has been very supportive of the NFF.
“Today, we are going to be signing a sponsorship deal with them that’s about N400 million for the next three years initial and then renewable. It’s something huge,” Mr Pinnick further said.
In addition, the NFF boss hinted that there will be another mega-contract with one of the biggest banks in the land in a matter of days.
“With the signing of Baba Ijebu today, I believe we are at 90-92 per cent of self-funding. And the big one is coming on the 18th of this month; if everything goes well, we will be signing another mega-contract with one of the best massive banks.
The partnership with Premier Lotto will mark the third sponsorship contract that the NFF will be signing in less than three weeks.
Recently, the body signed a 3-year multi-million naira deal with MTN Nigeria as the latter became the official communications sponsor of the Super Eagles and other national football teams.
About a week ago, the body also closed a deal worth N300 million in cash and value-in-kind with an indigenous airline operator, Air Peace, for the latter to become the exclusive airline sponsor of the Nigerian football national teams.
Dipo Olowookere